Man still looking for owner of $20,000 found in Dumpster

Man found money in book in Wellesley Dumpster last fall

Published 8:30 AM EDT Apr 05, 2013

WELLESLEY, Mass. -

Carlos, the Brazilian immigrant who discovered more than $20,000 in cash as he was Dumpster-diving last fall at the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility, has become something of a global celebrity -- even though few people outside of his immediate family circle know who he really is, Wicked Local Wellesley reported.

Carlos said this week that he has been contacted by the Ricki Lake Show and Oprah's people. His story has been told in numerous newspaper articles and on television broadcasts. He is planning to write a book about his life, to be called "Wellesley Treasure."

People from all over the world have contacted him, some hoping to cash in on his find, others just expressing their admiration.

Carlos, who is in his early 50s and lives in Marlborough, loves books, so when he makes a run to the RDF for his Wellesley employer, he stops by the book exchange. Last November, he was rummaging through the nearby trash container, checking out some discarded children's books, when he noticed an interesting adult book. Curious, he picked it up, opened it, and found that the book had been hollowed out. Inside were stacks of cash. The book contained nothing inside or out that would allow him to identify the owner.

Carlos is not a rich man, and his children need money for their college education. He also wants to make a donation to his favorite charity.

But he said he didn't feel right about keeping cash that belonged to someone else, such as an elderly person who entered a nursing home after his house was cleared out by adult children.

Lacking any way to trace the money's owner, he came to the Townsman, which ran a story about his find. Included in the article was an email address that would allow people to contact him (ipatimaga2005@comcast.net)

Fearing that he would be overrun by treasure hunters, he asked that his full name not be disclosed.

In fact, he was barraged by messages from people who had dollar signs in their eyes but were unable to provide accurate details about the book or its contents. He also heard from many media outlets, begging for interviews, and from people who simply wanted to express their admiration for his willingness to look for the money's true owner.

He continued to insist he would wait for up to six months before giving up the search. His self-imposed deadline ends in early May.

The crazy emails have largely stopped. Most of the messages these days come from the media.

Meanwhile, he used some of the money to go to Brazil for three weeks. He visited his mother, who was turning 79, and a man in Boa Vista who had saved his life 30 years ago.

Their dramatic story -- the man carried Carlos out of a jungle after a hunting accident -- will find its way into Carlos''s book. But Carlos wanted to thank the man, whom he had tracked down through Facebook. He brought iPads to the man's children and nieces, and clothes for the man himself.

"He saved my life, I should give him a house, not just an iPad, " Carlos said.

Carlos said he has spent close to $5,000 -- an amount he knew he could replace if the money's rightful owner finally appeared. Aside from the trip, he gave his own family some of the money, and he went to a dentist. "It was all broken and I fixed it," he said about his damaged teeth.

His philosophy about the cash has not changed. "If someone shows up, it's their money, not mine," he said this week.

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